Chapter 28: "A Game of Twister!"
The past few days had been grueling.
But Yoichi Isagi could feel it in his body.
He'd finally broken through.
His physical fitness and soccer technique.
Had leveled up again sharper, faster, stronger.
More importantly, he knew he had completely assimilated Baro's talent.
[Name: Yoichi Isagi]
Status -
(1) Physical Fitness: A
(2) Soccer Technique: A-
(3) Game Intelligence: A
(4) Talents: (2/~)
(5) Devour Shop: 70 Points
But it wasn't only him.
Every member of Team Z had been grinding just as hard, and it showed.
Their collective growth was undeniable.
Even Lemon, who had always been a step behind.
Now stood out with B physical fitness and B+ soccer technique.
That might not sound like much, but in Blue Lock.
Those stats meant he was now above average among most players.
This was great news for their upcoming matches.
Against Team V, their odds were just slightly above 50%.
But they were climbing.
Against Team Y, they looked even better.
Isagi's thoughts wandered to that encounter with Team Y at the cafeteria.
That time, he had used the opportunity to size them up.
He scanned their status.
And what he found was surprising.
Their average players were on par with Naruhaya.
Solid, just above Lemon's level.
That wasn't weak by any stretch.
In fact, it made them dangerously consistent.
And then there was Okawa.
Okawa's stats were nearly on Kira's level, just a touch below.
But his talent, Super-Aim (A).
Was what really stood out.
Like Kira's Sniper-Aim (A).
It relied on pinpoint accuracy and power.
But Okawa's version came with an extra weapon.
A deceptive feint that forced defenders to mistime their challenges.
It was sharp, calculated, and the kind of skill.
That could potentially counter even Gagamaru's goalkeeping instincts.
But that wasn't the player who intrigued Isagi the most.
The lean figure with short, spiky black hair covering his eyes—Ikki Niko.
Niko's stats weren't flashy.
But his talent, Field Maestro (A), was eerily similar to Isagi's God's Eye (A).
Niko had exceptional spatial awareness and the ability to dictate the game's flow.
He could spot passing lanes, read strategies, and control the tempo with almost surgical precision.
That's when it clicked for Isagi.
"Okawa wasn't Team Y's leader…"
"The real brains behind the operation was Niko!"
The thought made him smirk.
A clash of field generals?
Now that sounded fun.
But Isagi wasn't worried.
Sure, Niko's game intelligence might rival his own.
But Isagi wasn't a one-trick pony anymore.
His arsenal had grown, and he was ready to prove it on the field.
"Let's see who owns the pitch."
…
In Team Z's shared room.
It all started as an innocent suggestion from Bachira.
"Let's play Twister!"
He chirped.
Spinning the wheel with a mischievous grin.
Naturally, chaos ensued.
The first group—Bachira, Raichi, Kuon, and Naruhaya.
Was a disaster waiting to happen.
Bachira treated it like a dance-off.
Twisting and bending with acrobatic flair.
Raichi, on the other hand.
Took it as a full-contact sport.
Elbowing Naruhaya "accidentally" every chance he got.
"I swear if you bump me one more time, Raichi—"
Naruhaya growled.
"Cry about it!"
Raichi barked.
Nearly toppling as he reached for left foot green.
Kuon, strategically keeping a low profile.
Got tangled up when Bachira pirouetted around him like a hyperactive squirrel.
In the end, Bachira won by default.
After Raichi and Naruhaya knocked each other over in a dramatic tangle of limbs.
The second group—Kunigami, Gagamaru, Imamura, and Lemon.
Was surprisingly competitive.
Kunigami's sheer strength and balance made him an early favorite.
But Gagamaru's lanky limbs gave him an edge.
Imamura, meanwhile.
Was surprisingly nimble but underestimated Lemon.
Who played like his life depended on it.
"Did you just use your elbow to push me off?"
Kunigami asked Lemon suspiciously.
"It was an accident, I swear!"
Lemon lied, already sweating.
In a shocking twist.
Gagamaru managed to outlast them all by clinging to the mat like a determined spider monkey.
Leaving Kunigami muttering about unfair limb lengths.
The third group—Isagi, Chigiri, and Kira—was the most serious.
Chigiri relied on flexibility and speed.
Practically levitating between the colored dots.
Kira was graceful and methodical.
While Isagi… just didn't want to lose.
"Right hand red."
Chigiri declared confidently.
Twisting like a yoga master.
"Left foot blue."
Kira added calmly.
"Can we spin something closer?!"
Isagi groaned.
Barely holding on.
Eventually, Isagi edged out Chigiri.
Who slipped after an ambitious lunge.
And Kira, who resigned gracefully after running out of space.
The final round—Isagi, Bachira, and Gagamaru—was a spectacle.
Bachira played to the crowd.
Flipping into impossible poses.
Gagamaru, with his spider-like reach, dominated the board.
Isagi, meanwhile.
Played defensively, hoping for a miracle.
"Left foot yellow."
Bachira announced.
Tangling himself dangerously close to Gagamaru.
"Bachira, stop poking me with your knee!"
Gagamaru complained, wobbling.
"I'm not poking you, you're just in my space!"
Bachira teased, grinning.
The bickering escalated until Gagamaru tried to reposition.
Only for Bachira to laugh so hard he lost his balance.
Crashing into Gagamaru.
Both hit the ground with a thud, leaving Isagi.
Miraculously still standing, as the winner.
"What just happened?"
Isagi asked, stunned.
"Congrats, Isagi~!♪"
Bachira cheered from the floor, still giggling.
Gagamaru groaned.
"I call a rematch. This is rigged."
"Winner's luck."
Isagi replied with a smirk.
Holding his victory pose for a moment longer.
Before collapsing in laughter with the rest of the team.
Then the monitor in the room suddenly flickered to life with a loud noise.
"Zzzzzzzt~!"
Chigiri instinctively flinching.
"Not again."
He muttered.
Sure enough, Naruhaya let out a startled yelp.
And promptly collapsed for the second time.
"Someone get him a fainting couch already."
Raichi joked.
Though no one really laughed.
The screen lit up.
And Jinpachi Ego's face appeared again.
"Team Z, your match has been decided."
Everyone froze, the room thick with anticipation.
"Your team will be up against Team Y. Get ready in the next two hours. Don't be late!"
Without another word.
The screen clicked off, leaving a stunned silence in its wake.
Then, without warning.
Raichi let out a thunderous scream.
"YES! FINALLY!"
The entire room jumped.
"Raichi! What the hell is wrong with you?!"
Imamura yelled.
Clutching his chest.
Raichi smirked.
Practically vibrating with excitement.
"It's Team Y! I've been itching to crush them since that cafeteria stunt. I've got a score to settle!"
Everyone exchanged knowing glances.
Shaking their heads at Raichi's theatrics.
"Focus, Raichi."
Isagi interjected calmly.
Standing up and dusting himself off.
"We've got a match to win, and we already know who their real leader is."
"Niko's the one pulling the strings, not Okawa. Stick to the plan, and we'll take them down."
The team nodded in agreement.
Their earlier lightheartedness replaced by steely determination.
"Alright, let's get ready."
Kira said.
Heading towards his locker.
With that, Team Z scattered.
Grabbing jerseys, cleats, and whatever else they needed.
Naruhaya, now fully recovered from his fainting spell, muttered.
"Why does it always have to be so dramatic?"
As the team scrambled to prepare.
This was Team Z's moment.
And they weren't going to let it slip away.
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone